What a pleasant, perplexing mix of vendors where you can buy everything from broccoli to turkish…read morecarpet. It's half market/half jumble sale. But it's also interesting and full of entertaining characters. You need not buy a thing... just come for the show.

"Any bowl for a pound!" This is the cry you can expect to hear when you meander past Brick Lane's…read morefruit market on a Sunday. The markets location is actually Sclater Street, but it links onto the truly bizarre Sunday Brick Lane market scene. The bowls are crammed with fruit. Whether it is apples, lemons or plums, you can get a carrier bag full with fruit for less than a fiver. It is the perfect stop if you are serious about achieving your five a day. They had huge grapefruits last week, three for £1 and I didn't get them. GUTTED! The whole scene on a Sunday around Brick Lane is a melee of urban randomness. It encapsulates the heart of East London by ensnaring so many cultures and styles within a few packed London streets. This is a must see area for tourists and locals alike.

If you're into cooking Indian/Bangladeshi/Pakistani dishes at home, this store has a full selection…read moreof ingredients for you. When I first moved to this area, I bought a great Indian cookbook and I stocked my spice cabinet with purchases from here. I keep coming back. The staff there provide "no nonsense" service. A nice benefit is that while you're shopping, they're playing slamming music sometimes. One time I liked the tune so much I dared ask for the name of the CD. The checkout clerk unsmilingly wrote it down for me, told me where to buy it (further down the street on Brick Lane); he definitely hooked me up! (another time I ended up buying a car here too, but that's a story for another time and place!)

If you are looking for Indian / Pakistani / Bangladeshi Groceries in Central London, Taj Stores is…read morea great place to pick them up. They sell spices in bags ranging in size from 100gms to 5 kilos and the price is way lower than even Tesco. For those who know what these are: Taj stocks Maggi hot & sour masala chilli sauce, Roohafza & fresh curry leaves (almost impossible to find anywhere in central London) Its a sprawling store with huge variety & great prices. They have fresh fruits & vegetables too. Plenty of namkin, spice pastes, pickles, variety of dhal & rice. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Planet Organic is one of my favorite shops in the world. Seriously…read more I have been here quite a few times (although different locations), but never to the Devonshire Square one until just the other week. The one complain I will address right off the bat is that finding the one at Devonshire Sq is a pain in the ass. The Yelp map is off but it is so hidden that you really could spend a bit of time searching for it if you're not 100% familiar with this area. Nevertheless, pop around the back of a building into another hidden square and you'll find the shop. Aside from that, everything else is great. They have a nice eatery and take-away place inside (maybe it is more take-away, but I wasn't paying too much attention) offering salads, soups, green smoothies, etc. I have had some of this at the Torrington Place one in the past and it was all exceptionally tasty and worthy of 5 stars for what it was (I took it away with me). In Planet Organic, you will find anything to suit your needs. Organic veggies and fruits, delicious raw coconut water (equivalent to Harmless Harvest in the US... they have Mighty Bee and a couple of other brands of the pink stuff), birch water, Coyo (coconut yoghurt- something I miss like crazy from the states), reishi, moringa, mueslis of all kinds, and basically anything you could want. They also have a nice selection of vegan and organic skincare and beauty products in house. Planet Organic definitely also caters to those with gluten intolerances and lactose intolerances. The staff is knowledgeable regarding all products and someone is always around to offer to help (maybe I just appreciate this after living a life of the contrary here in Germany). I go back here every time I'm in the London area and will always choose to shop here over Whole Foods even though the prices are slightly higher. I love them both, but Planet Organic is definitely my go-to in London.

I prefer this to Wholefoods in term of fresh food on the go. It was a nice sunny day. My friends…read moreand I each bought some mixed organic food to eat outside. The food was deliciously fresh, and the juice was yum. I had the same thing at Wholefoods, a couple of days before and was disappointed.

I am a relative newcomer to the joys of Brick Lane market on Sundays and one thing I discovered is…read morethat the cupcake industry is flourishing here. As one possessing a savoury as opposed to sweet tooth, I managed to hold out trying any of those teeny sweet desserts until I came to the Kooky Bakes stall. They were obviously good cupcakes as most of the trays were empty I was briefly tempted by a whoopie pie just because of the name but in the end, I came away with a red velvet cupcake. Rich, moist and sweet. Not bad for a non savoury foodstuff!

The guys running the stall are really nice and are patient with you while you choose amongst the…read morehuge selection of different desserts. Red velvet cupcakes, whoopie pies, oh my I dont have much of a sweet tooth but this place is amazing.

This place was so cool! There are tons of vintage shops around Brick Lane, but there's one specific…read moreone that's pictured in a lot of reviews (I didn't take any pictures). It's huge underground area full of vintage shops! The prices were a little too pricey for me, but the best part was the food! There's a whole street food market in that area that serves all kinds of foods, drinks, and desserts. This was where I had the best mango sticky rice I've had in a long time! Strongly recommend checking this place out!

This is an interesting part of London. There are a lot of cafes and eateries with multicultural…read moreofferings. There is shopping, street art and a lot to take in. We rode Santander bikes to Brick Lane and spent the afternoon exploring.

I don't expect much from the Local or Express version of supermarkets simply because of their size…read more There can't possibly be a sufficient amount of goods for me to choose from after all. However, I've been pleasantly surprised by the small shops in this area. This one stocks a nice selection of fresh fruit and vegetables - pak choi (bok choy), aubergines, broccoli, to name a few - and also has a small gluten-free section. You can find East Asian and Mexican ingredients here as well, which is good, and a shelf of what I can only call 'topical' wares. At this point in time, it's picnic items, and at other times, barbecue equipment and Christmas decorations (near Christmas, not all the time). There is usually a security guard present, and he's always been pleasant to customers as far as I'm aware. Yes, they will keep an eye on you, especially because it's all too easy for people to shoplift. There is a customer community board next to the entrance on the inside where you can see local charities and companies advertising events and courses. I like reading about what's going on in any place, even if it's on something as simple as a bulletin board. Lastly, there's a cash machine outside which is always handy on your way up to Spitalfields Market!

I don't think of myself as looking sketchy in any way, but apparently the staff here do. Every time…read moreI have come here, the security guard follows me around and is constantly watching my every move. Not to mention it's the only place in the UK that's questioned my actual age. I know I look young, but not too young to buy wine! Guess I will stick to Tesco.

Cute spot on the docks with friendly staff and delicious homemade pasta. Bonus that much of their…read morepasta has no egg so my son can eat it! The noodles had a perfect al dente bite and the sauce was rich and left you wanting more. Would love to eat here again!

Wow wow wow This is a hidden gem! Go to Emilia's if you…read morewant an amazing dinner next to classic river boats if you are near the Tower of London and tower bridge! All of the pasta is made on site and can be vegan if necessary! This is truly a hole in the wall fits about 15 people inside and maybe 10 out. It is fast delicious, and incredible.

Not sure if I should be giving that high a rating based on very little experiance, but a highlight…read moreof a very short work trip to London was getting to try snake fruit from this place. Maybe this passes for normal in London, but by US standards this was a very notable exotic fruit selection.

What I like best about this shop is the colourful display they always have at the front of the…read moreshop! It is full of fruit and vegetables and always catches my eye! The value for money is good. The vegetables are always excellent and they have a good selection of products: 4 or 5 types of potatoes, cauliflowers, green beans, chillies, peppes... And lots of other staff I have never seen in my life! The fruit is not that good. It looks pretty but it is not as tasty as the veggies. But the thing I like the most is the great selection they have of international products. They stock a lot of Eastern European food (especially Poland) and also Asian staff, like shitake mushrooms and different varieties of noodles!

Best food market I have ever been to in the world so far-This place has food from all over the…read moreworld-Love seeing all cultures come together in one place this is truly amazing-This is a must everyone your in London

I had a blast checking out this market! There were tons of stalls, many of which gave out samples…read more You could tell the people at each stall really took pride in their food. I will say a lot of the dishes from stall to stall were similar, but there were still seemingly endless options. The space itself was pretty big, with little room between stalls, but that added to the vibe. I'd especially recommend this place for groups, because there's truly something for everyone!

Such a superior corner food shop. Thanks to Rob H & Katie B for reporting the findings...from the…read moreoutside, this appears just to be a regular, run of the mill market...but once inside you'll be treated to a pleasant surprise. A huge organic selection. A whole shelf of tea. Racks of dried fruits (I am not addicted to dried figs), nuts (cashews!) and I even found jars of sunflower butter here...which is surprisingly good and a good alternative to peanut butter (which they also have). Fantastic ethnic cooking section chock full of sauces, ingredients, grains, rices, beans and any element you probably need, spices, decent bakery with breads, rolls, pitas, etc. Eggs and dairy, beer, wine, a lot of coconut water, and a fresh produce section (outside) which is standard, but nice to have. Things you won't find: fresh meats or fish. Par for the course! The family that runs it is very friendly as well (always so polite!) and I always leave feeling quite good about supporting a local food shop that is not only convenient, but tucked away from the madness of the Old Street roundabout. Yours Food Centre = My Food Centre = LOVE. *they do not accept AMEX.

This place just looks like a normal, random off licence but when you step inside, you'll be…read moresurprised by the variety and diversity of products they have! You can find almost everything in there, from bubble gum to grains, dried fruits, fresh fruits (very good selection), alcohol... Almost everything except fresh fish and meat. It is not the cheapest place to do your shopping, but for the quality they offer, it is quite fair. And the people that works there is always helpful and polite.